Alopecia is known to be caused, for example, by the reduction of the physiological function of the scalp due to nourishment imbalance or excessive production of dandruff, by the reduction of metabolism in the hair papilla due to insufficient blood supply thereto resulting from the reduction of peripheral blood flow, by the androgen-associated reduction of the hair follicle's function in the sebaceous gland, hair follicle or hair-root, or by psychic stress, and a variety of drugs are used for the treatment of alopecia or the like. Examples of such drugs include ethinylestradiol showing anti-androgenic activity; vitamin E, swertiae herba extract, carrot extract, cepharanthin or the like showing peripheral blood flow stimulating activity; and capsicum tincture, peppermint oil, menthol or the like showing local stimulative activity. There are, however, no satisfactory drugs as yet.
The present inventor has previously provided "hair growth stimulant characterized by containing aqueous or alcoholic extract of Aconitum roots, stems or leaves" (Japanese published unexamined patent application No. 3-271213 (JP, A, 3-271213). As a result of further studies on the aqueous or alcoholic extract of Aconitum roots, the present inventor has found that the extract fraction of Aconitum roots containing non-aconitine type alkaloidal components has an extremely remarkable stimulative action on hair growth and hair growing as compared to simple aqueous or alcoholic extract of Aconitum roots, and also that this fraction is significantly superior thereto in respect of safety when used in human beings. The present invention has been achieved based on these findings.
It has not hitherto been known that non-aconitine type alkaloidal components have a stimulative action on hair growth and hair growing. The present invention thus provides a novel hair growth stimulant characterized by using as active ingredient the extract fraction of Aconitum roots containing non-aconitine type alkaloidal components.
The present inventor has also found that the abovementioned fraction of Aconitum roots containing non-aconitine type alkaloidal components has a remarkable peripheral blood flow-increasing action.
It has not hitherto been known that non-aconitine type alkaloidal components has a blood flow-increasing action. Accordingly the present invention further provides a novel pharmaceutical for blood circulation stimulation characterized by using the extract fraction of Aconitum roots containing non-aconitine type alkaloidal components.